In the long run
by Steffili
Summary: Will goes for a morning run but this time doesn't have to come home to an empty apartment anymore.


A/N. There was so much going on in ep 5x03. But what left the deepest impression on me was: Seriously how hot can one William Paul Gardner be in running clothes? So this story idea was born, some "pointless smut" / fluff once more. And my "happy version" of how things would be if I was the writer of this show. :P So I'm guessing RK will soon prove it to be AU. But that's ok. For all my lovely AW girls. You know who you are. Special thanks to Tali 3 She made me the beautiful and drool worthy icon!

* * *

Will enjoyed running in the morning. It helped him wake up and mentally prepare for the day ahead. Or just let off some steam. Also it kept him fit and alert and was a nice balance for spending most of the day sitting behind a desk or in court.

He reached his favorite part of his route by the water and stretched his legs, his pace faster now but not painfully so, it was still enjoyable. He was in a good mood after all and had no particular daemons chasing him this morning. If anything he'd be running quicker to be at home again soon. Because she'd still be there.

He couldn't believe how his luck had turned within a couple of months. Diane had betrayed him and they'd bought her out of the firm. Cary and 10 other associates had left the firm and stolen a few clients. But he'd also gained a new name partner to replace Diane. The outrage of the other, older partners had been big at first but he'd convinced every single one of them with whatever argument he knew would bring them around, that she was the perfect choice. It sent a more positive signal having a female name partner, making their law firm equally attractive to male and female clients. Also her name alone had been a huge argument. The name of the First Lady of Illinois on the door would surely help keeping most of their clients and getting a hell lot of more business.

Of course for him none of that had really mattered. He wanted _her._ He'd thought, if he couldn't have her in his bed again, at least he'd keep her at work. Spend time with her. She didn't have the seniority of the other possible candidates like for example David Lee, but she was a really good lawyer and if she'd not taken his offer, she'd been a name partner at her own firm with Cary now.

Yes, she'd admitted that to him. When the others split away from the firm, she admitted she knew about it and was even initially a part of it. But she'd promised to give everything to fight them now along his side, and he'd believed her. He was a little hurt at first and didn't understand it. But then she'd come into his office one night and explained everything. Explained how she'd wanted to leave him and his firm because she needed to get away from him. That she didn't trust herself around him anymore.

He'd asked her what had changed and she'd admitted, nothing, but that she was tired of running. She'd told him she wasn't sure anymore what she wanted. That she was scared. He'd told her it was ok, she should follow her heart and see where that lead her. And he'd waited patiently for her to come around, somehow feeling it in his heart that she someday soon would.

Weeks had passed. They'd been buried in work, but it was a nice yet strange feeling, looking up and across the hall to see her there in the office opposite from her. A feeling like it was all worth it as long as she was there. She proved to the other associates how good she was at this, that she was a strong person and a natural leader. And that she was committed to her new task and willing to put in the extra hours.

One evening not so long ago she'd come into his office again, a strange expression on her face. She'd been quiet and pensive all day and he'd not wanted to probe, but when she came in and closed the door behind herself despite the fact that they were probably the last people still there, he knew it was something serious.

She'd told him, she and Peter had had a talk the evening before and they were getting a divorce. It had all to be prepared of course and she had agreed to do it on his terms mostly in order not to harm his political career. So it would take some time before she was really free. The look on her face had made him go over to her and pull her close for a hug. He'd had no idea yet what this would mean for them, but his feelings for her had still been crystal clear to him.

He'd not even asked then what lead to the divorce finally. He wasn't blind and had known that she had first stalled the remarriage to Peter and then it was pushed back more and more. Later she'd told him that Peter had actually asked her if she still wanted this marriage, or more like told her he was sure she didn't want it anymore. Which she'd not been able to deny anymore. So they'd decided it was time for a divorce.

It had been an eventful time. Will was a little worried of having the Governor himself as his enemy for stealing his wife. But things calmed down eventually and the last he'd heard he'd found someone new in the meantime. Though that was just a rumor for now, it was obviously a younger woman of his staff.

But with Peter out of the way Will had found hope again that she could maybe be his one day. But over working much, nothing happened at first. Until one evening they were celebrating a big win with the whole firm, drinking champagne. There had been that spark again between them, one he'd often felt since she became managing partner. So when everybody else had gone home he'd pulled her close and kissed her deeply, and this time neither of them pulled away or fled the room. They'd enjoyed kissing each other and then Will had taken her home with him, and it had been the first time they'd slept together ever since breaking off their affair.

And so their relationship had really begun. Because that was what it was for the first time. Not a secret and stolen affair. But a real relationship. He'd loved to wind her up in private with calling her his girlfriend. She'd laugh about it and tell him to stop, it sounded stupid.

He reached his apartment and stopped in front of the building, his breath heaving, a wide smile on his face. He loved his morning run no matter what, though it had been extra hard to get up this morning with Alicia nakedly draped around him, clinging to him in her sleep. He had found that absolutely adorable but he'd ever so carefully untangled himself from her, of course not managing to do so without waking her up. He'd pressed a soft kiss to her temple, whispering for her to go back to sleep. Then he'd put on his running gear and had gone out.

As he walked into his bedroom now his smile got even wider, his still quickly beating heart almost bursting with joy of seeing her still asleep in his bed, her expression so peaceful and soft, he couldn't resist going over to her and kissing her lips, waking her up.

"Hey. Did you go running? But it's your day off." she mumbled sleepily.

"No, it's _your_ day off. I have to go to the office later." he told her, it was a Saturday, true, but he still had some things to catch up on.

She groaned.

"I thought you'd come back to bed and stay there with me the whole day." she mumbled, reaching out for him.

"Well I still can, not the whole day, but a couple of hours. But I'd really like to have a shower first and then some breakfast." he told her. She sighed but had now gotten a hold of his shirt, pulling and catching him a little off balance and making him fall into bed next to her. He took the opportunity to kiss her passionately, not really caring that he was all sweaty. She didn't seem to mind either for her hands were already creeping up under his shirt. He pulled away and quickly took it off, discarding it to the floor beside the bed.

"Hmn, you really should have a shower. You're all sweaty and will just mess up the sheets." she told him, laughter in her voice.

He grinned.

"Oh yeah? You mean more than we already did last night?" he asked her teasingly, reminding her of their intense and passionate night they'd spend till the early morning hours.

"Hmn, fair enough. Still. You should have a shower and I guess I could use one as well." she told him. He kissed her some more before finally getting up, drawing the covers away and helping her get out of bed. She was still sleepy, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"You look totally adorable when you're still half asleep. I love you." he told her, pulling her naked form close to him and kissed her again. She let her hands run down his back and inside his running pants, squeezing his naked ass before she started pushing the piece of clothing down. Will helped her get it off and then they stepped into the shower, him shielding her with his body until the water became warm, then pulling her under the spray, kissing her gently while pushing the hair out of her face.

They started out slowly, kissing and stroking each other unhurriedly. Will loved this the most, that he was now finally allowed to take his time with her, that she accepted him being gentle and caring with her rather than just a quick number over their lunch break. Granted, they still did that from time to time, but mostly they actually spent whole nights together and in a bed. Not that he minded taking her up against the next wall or on a desk. But nothing beat making love to her for hours in a bed.

But there was always time for that later. For now he was totally content to pin her against the shower wall as their touches and kisses grew more heated. He kneaded her breasts and softly pinched the dark tips until they were hard and his ministrations made her moan out. Only then did he bend over to add a little attention from his lips and teeth until she was whimpering impatiently, wanting more.

He reached between her legs and softly stroked her, finding how completely ready she was for him, spreading her wetness around and teasing her most sensitive spot.

"Please Will, I need you." she begged, her hands by now doing some teasing of their own, stroking his hardness in a way she knew would sway him, making sure he'd want to take this further along quickly. So he stepped up to her tightly and without further delaying it pushed inside of her deeply, making them both moan. He remained unmoving for a bit, enjoying the feeling of being linked together with her so closely, softly kissing her. Then he started moving, thrusting into her slowly but accentuated, swallowing her moans of approval in his kiss. When he started to move quicker he broke the kiss, now moaning himself from how good this felt, their mixed sounds of pleasure filling the bathroom along with the steam from the hot water.

She clung to him for balance and he braced himself against the wall as he thrust into her again and again until she cried out once loudly as her climax hit her, whimpering as he intensified his efforts even more and going over the edge as well with a low groan. He remained close to her afterwards for a little longer, lazily kissing her neck and then finding her lips once more before pulling out and stepping away. He made sure she was standing steadily on her own feet before completely letting go of her, because it was still morning and even he felt a little dizzy now, having had some good exercise by now but still no breakfast. They finished their shower and stepped out of it, Will smiling at her and pulling her close for a kiss.

"So, what do you say, breakfast in bed?" he wanted to know.

She grinned.

"Oh yes please that sounds heavenly. I could totally get used to that, and daily." she replied with a blissful smile.

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, how about we consider moving in together. Then we could have breakfast in bed on every possible occasion." he told her, looking into her eyes deeply. He might have taken her by surprise there, but for him it wasn't something he'd just come up with. They were doing sleepovers often, even during the week when the kids were at her place now that she'd told them about their relationship. So it was the next logical step for him and he really wished for it to come true.

She smiled at him after taking some time to consider it.

"Well I guess, looking for a place couldn't do any harm." she answered, now taking him by surprise for giving in so easily.

Yes, his life really had turned out to be amazing. He hoped it would always stay like this, but with her by his side he didn't doubt it would ever be bad again in the long run.


End file.
